Princess of Taigaiko
by ChasingAJourney
Summary: "Nope, not a girlfriend, a friend, and that's all," Ryoma replied agitated. Momo held up his hands in surrender and Inui explained what they needed to fix. Then Ryuzaki came forward and dismissed them from training. Ryoma was the last one out of the lockers and he left to go home, but was caught by Kikumaru.
1. Chapter 1

Tennis Princess of Taigaiko

Chapter One

Taigaiko Regulars and a Brother's Team?

The captain of Taigaiko Middle School swung her racket fast and strong. The ball shot forward and smashed against the ground before twisting to a complete stop. The audience stood silently in awe as the captain exited the field without another sound. The crowd erupted into cheering and the other members of the Taigaiko Jr. High surrounded their captain.

"You won it for us Rya!" second in command, Rin Sujiami, exclaimed, giving her friend a licorice whip. The captain put the licorice in her mouth.

"Wasn't a big deal Rin, just like any other match," she said simply.

"That's our Ryamo~!" the others chorused and the eight laughed.

"Yo Girls!" a voice shouted out behind them. "We are Taigaiko's first tennis club, so don't go showing off."

The eight girls knew that this would happen. Kyoshi Sutayame was always a power hog, the complete opposite of Breah Sutayame, his sister on the girls' team.

At Taigaiko, and most other schools, there were two Tennis Teams. A girls and a boys. Originally the boys' team was normally the one to get most of the attention, while the girls get pity and sympathy for not playing great enough. It annoyed the girls to no end and they hated it when the boys' team rubbed it in.

"Kyoshi," the captain pointed her racket at her elder's face, "I challenge you to a match of doubles. If you can beat us, we back off and give you the spotlight. If we beat you, we get to take your spot as Taigaiko's First Tennis Team."

Everyone that had been in hearing distance stopped and froze. It was just a friendly match that was happening between Kamine Jr. High and the players were quite interested in what was happening. All eyes were on the two teams from the same school. The tennis coach stepped forward.

"If you girls are able to beat these boys, you will take spot as Taigaiko's First Team. I approve," he said affirmatively. Tennis Officials came forward and stood next to the coach.

"We agree that this is a good way to solve things. The rivalry of Taigaiko's girl and boy teams will come to an end with this match," the Head Official said. The two captains nodded and the girl captain looked to the captains of Kamine Jr. High.

"Are you okay with us..." the two captains nodded and went to talk to their teams. They took a seat to watch the match about to begin.

"Then it's decided!" the announcer announced, "Taigaiko's First Tennis Team will be decided by a match of doubles!" Everyone cheered and screamed, some agreeing and others booing. The two teams split apart and the captains assigned the people that will play.

"Yoshi, Marek, you're up," Kyoshi stated, motioning with his hand for them to go forward to the court. The two nodded and entered the court.

"Rin and I will play against them," the girl captain said, ignoring the shouts of "It's the Dynamic Pair!" She had heard it all before, they've just never seen real doubles in a match before. She wiped her brow and removed the licorice whip from her mouth. She and Rin entered the court as well.

When both teams were set, the official began the match. "Serve Iyomi and Ritsu."

'The boys get the first serve, huh?' Rin thought. She smirked, never underestimate she and her best friend. She paid close attention to the boys and the way they served. It wasn't a quick enough front swing, it could easily be blown away by three hits with back, front, back, then numbing the front. The ball was hit and soared through the air. "Rin!" a shout was heard.

"Got it!" she exclaimed back hitting it directly to the back corner and opposite of where he served. The ball bounced once, and then hit the back wall. Some people gasped as they began whispering about a return on Yoshi's Cradle Serve. The boys took the ball again and Yoshi bounced it several times before finally serving the ball over the net. It was much quicker than the last one and flew past Rin. "Rya!"

The ball flew back over the net at incredible speed but was returned with a small hit to the right, as both girls were on the left side. The captain ran with quick, light steps to the other side of the tennis court. She leapt forward and switched hands, successfully hitting the ball over the net. Gasps were heard, murmuring commenced, and whistling of the girls' team sang. She smiled when the ball bounced past the two boys giving them the advantage again.

"0-30," the official announced. The two girls nodded as of giving permission to the boys to continue on with the game. The crowd knew that if the girls continued on like this, they would win.

…**/~\...**

"It has been decided!" the coach of Taigaiko's tennis teams shouted through a bullhorn. "Taigaiko's new First Team will be the girls' team! With Ryamo Echizen as their captain!" Members of the audience exclaimed and shouted with glee while others sulked and left the court. The coach gave Ryamo the bullhorn.

"We will promise to train hard and do our best! Even though there are only us eight on the girls' team, we will continue to bring victory to Taigaiko!" The audience screamed in amazement at Ryamo as she returned the bullhorn to the coach.

"Since there are barely any girls on the team, the two teams will be split up; the Girl Regulars will be with some of the other freshman, juniors, and seniors. The others will be put onto the second team," the coach told all the students watching the game and the spectators. The eight girls left the courts and went to the locker room. Kamine had left earlier and the matches were over. Tomorrow, the girls will be practicing as regulars for Taigaiko's First Team. The eight girls quickly changed their clothing and back into their school uniforms, which consisted of a mid-thigh black and green plaid skirt, a white blouse under a black blazer with a green rose and 'Taigaiko' in white over the rose, a green tie hung around their necks and they each had two French braids in their hair.

"Oi, Breah," Rin questioned, "why's your brother an idiot?" Rin, also known as "the Sense." She could tell whether or not someone was becoming tired or where they would hit it next. She analyzed things and made sure that everything was working and training happened right. Rin had long blonde hair that she always mainly wore in a long braid, and then wrapped up into a spiral bun. Her blue eyes complimented her hair nicely and she was fairly tall for a middle school first year.

"I honestly and truly do not know if he was dropped or is just that idiotic on purpose," Breah Sutayame breathed out. Always so calm and collected. Never really showing what she thinks. Only Ryamo could tell when she was lying, especially when they all had to eat, Rin's "Special Training Veggies." They all hated it but Ryamo could actually stomach the crap, even though it tasted like vomit. Short dark brown hair, almost black, that was mainly kept in a small pony tail. Her chocolate brown eyes had small specks of ocean blue that showed her pupils perfectly, (though her eyes were graced with black glasses) she was quite short for a third year.

"That's why we like you better than your brother," Akira Hideyoshi snickered. The jokester of their team. She never backed down from a challenge and never really recognized a threat when one was too dangerous. She really was the strangest person in Taigaiko. Her bright red hair was like a fire that burned and no one would ever say it wasn't her natural hair color. She had bright emerald green eyes that made Risa call her Christmas on many times. Tallest on the team, comes with a long reach, though she doesn't use the reach a whole bunch, though she is admired for being super tall and only being a second year.

"I thought we hated her brother...?" Sora Minori thought aloud. The others laughed while Sora looked at them all confusedly. That just made them laugh more. Most people that knew Sora thought she was a dunderhead, but when she took hold of a racket, she totally changed into someone else. Her hair, kept in two buns mostly, was a light orange with red highlights. Midnight blue eyes that loved looking up at others even though she was a third year. (A/N: She's short xD)

"We do Sora," Risa Sohma confirmed. She never really did do anything besides help everyone practice. She was one of the loudest and nicest ones at Taigaiko. She was a great team at doubles with Rin but mostly plays with Sora. Her brown chestnut hair that she normally always kept in a small well-kept bob, was by far her best feature, or as Risa thought. But many others thought her eyes were what brought her attention to others. They were a deep purple with horizontal stripes of blue and green on the top and bottom of the pupils. She hated when people looked down at her and asked her is she'd always been that short, even though she was a year from graduating.

"But-"

"You won't win Sora, so might as well stop when you're ahead," Tori Honda stated bluntly, knowing Sora wouldn't get it. But being the forever blunt girl she was she didn't really care if no one got what she wanted. Her favorite thing to do was play singles, using her "Cat's Claw" hit. Most everyone called her the Cat and she always seemed to wear a green tie headband that she only took off when wearing her uniform. She was the only one without a normal hair color that the girls knew of. It was a midnight blue that had streaks of yellow in it and the way she had her hair in a fishtail braid made it look like lights were on inside her hair. Then her eyes were an unnatural bright blue color, but we're covered by black rimmed glasses. She was a medium height and a second year, with a very long reach.

"Why do you insist on telling her things she'll never get Tori?" Elise Romulin asked her friend. She was normally happy and bubbly unless something had happened a school to cause her mood to be down. And when that happened, she became a cruel and cold hearted player, ignoring anyone and everyone, today was one of those days. Her strawberry blonde hair made it hard for people to actually believe she could be crude, especially if it's usually kept in its high side pony tail with a green ribbon wrapped around it. Her eyes were a beautiful mossy green that had a brown glow to it. Being a third year with fair height was probably the most believable thing about her.

"Girls, tomorrow we start preparing for regionals. It'll be within a week's time," Ryamo Echizen interrupted her friends' conversation. They all became serious and nodded. Ryamo was the best out of them all and she could play singles and doubles, no matter who she was paired with or against. She was the favorite among many teachers and mainly preferred to stay quiet. She has short blackish green hair that is unkempt and very tangly. She never really brushes through it because of its short quality. Her eyes are a golden brown that glow when she's in the "zone." And being a freshman captain on a regular team was always something everyone wanted and she was medium height for a first year.

"Roger that Rya~!" the other seven exclaimed, saluting their captain and friend. She nodded to them as they all quickly filed out of the locker room. They all said their goodbyes and walked separate ways from one another, Ryamo going to Seigaku Jr. High, because her brother was there with his tennis club.

**.../~\...**

"Onii-chan," Ryamo called to her brother, who was busy taking multiple drinks of water faucets as if he drank something extremely terrible.

"O-onee-chan," he grunted miserably. Ryamo sighed and began to rub her twin brother's back.

"What happened this time onii-chan?" she asked him, rubbing small circles on his back.

"I-Inui-senpai's special vegetable juice," he grumbled.

"What's so bad about vegetable juice?" she questioned, wondering how on earth something could taste worse that Rin's veggie food. She raised an eyebrow and asked him to point out where Inui-senpai was. He pointed to courts A and B where some other people were practicing and some freshman that seemed to be watching them. She walked over to the courts and watched. She assumed that Inui was the one that held a glass of green juice in it, offering it to one of the players. She walked onto the court and across to Inui.

"Oi, Seigaku."

The Regular Members of Seigaku's Tennis Team all looked toward the voice of a girl calling out their school's name. Fuji was the first to step forward. "Hm, who's this?"

"It seems to be a Taigaiko school uniform," a boy with spiky black hair said.

"You are correct, senpai. It is a Taigaiko school uniform, for it is only natural for a Taigaiko student to where the school uniform," Ryamo stated, indicating she heard what he had whispered to a brown haired boy. "My name is Ryamo and I've heard you have a tough consequence for not doing the right training sequence?" she inquired to the boy that seemed to be Inui.

"Indeed we do, would you like to try it?" he grinned sadistically and a boy with a bandana nearly gagged because Inui had held up a glass of green juice.

"Sure, mind explaining it to me?" she smiled, sneakily smirking to herself.

"Okay," Inui said, returning to his side by some tennis balls that seemed to have different colored rings around them. "The goal is to hit the ball back at the same cone with the same color, got it?"

Ryamo just shrugged, "Simple enough." He nodded at her and served a ball.

"Blue," she said simply before returning the ball to the blue cone. He nodded and continued on.

"Red. Yellow. Red. Blue. Yellow. Red. Yellow. Yellow. Blue. Red." she said as each of the balls came at her. So far she hadn't gotten a single one wrong, but Inui had done some far off shot that made Ryamo run after it. She launched after it, switched hands discretely and hit the ball at the blue cone after saying, "Blue." But she had over shot just a little on the return and it hit the red cone. Inui grinned at her sadistically. 'Maybe he and Rin are in cahoots...' she wondered while walking up to the net to take the drink.

After she drank it, the ones who drank it before sucked in a breath. She smacked her jaws together before sighing sadly, "I thought it would have more flavor..." The boys just stared at her like she had grown two heads. "What?"

"H-how... How can you stand the juice?" a maroon haired boy on the ground asked.

Ryamo blushed a little before replying, "U-um... I have a friend that makes Veggie Training Meals for us to help with our tennis training and it has more flavor than his drink." All they did was stare at her in shock. "Well, since I came here without any warning, maybe I should learn your names?" They nodded before introducing themselves.

"I'm Takeshi Momoshiro, that's Eiji Kikumaru, Captain Kunimitsu Tezuka, Kaoru Kaidoh, Takashi Kawamura, Shuichiro Oishi, and Shusuke Fuji," he said pointing to each boy as he said their names. She nodded, saying that she knew who was who. "Oh! We have one more, but I don't know where he went..." Momoshiro trailed off, "And you can call me Momo-chan."

"I'll call you Momo," she said, winking and sticking her to the out at him. "I already met the other regular member when I was coming here," she explained and then looked at the time. "I better get going, maybe I'll see you all soon!" she yelled as ran off the courts. As she was leaving, she ran into her brother as he was heading back to the courts and she had only gotten away from the courts about ten feet, she had no doubt in her mind they were watching her. "Onii-chan, you're team members are strange."

"Hmm," he simply answered. She sighed and kissed his cheek saying,

"Don't be a wimp; you know Rin's Training Meals are worse than his drink."

"I know, but-"

"No buts- His has no flavor," she stuck her tongue out at him. "See you at home onii-chan."

"Okay onee-chan," he replied back, waving at his twin while she ran home. He shook his head as he walked into the courts.

"Oooo~. Echizen has a girlfriend~!" Momo said when he got close enough to them. Ryoma glared at him.

"Nope, not a girlfriend, a friend, and that's all," he replied agitated. Momo held up his hands in surrender and Inui explained what they needed to fix. Then Ryuzaki came forward and dismissed them from training. Ryoma was the last one out of the lockers and he left to go home, but was caught by Kikumaru.

"Ah, Kikumaru-senpai," he greeted.

"Oi, ochibi, who was that girl that you seemed quite chummy with?" he asked his underclassman.

"She's just a friend, I guess," he replied with a shrug.

"Just friends don't kiss each other's cheeks," he glared at the younger boy.

"She does that a lot so I'm used to it." Kikumaru got annoyed by this time and left the younger boy to walk home.


	2. Chapter 2

Tennis Princess of Taigaiko

Chapter Two

Regionals Match and a Brother?

_"Oi, ochibi, who was that girl that you seemed quite chummy with?" he asked his underclassman. _

_"She's just a friend, I guess," he replied with a shrug._

_"Just friends don't kiss each other's cheeks," he glared at the younger boy._

_"She does that a lot so I'm used to it." Kikumaru got annoyed by this time and left the younger boy to walk home. _

**.../~\...**

The eight regulars of Taigaiko walked up to the registration desk to sign in. The girls checked in with the registrar just as some boys walked past them, whispering.

"I heard they got the first spot at Taigaiko by beating the boys in a match of doubles, I hear their doubles teams are very strong," he whispered to a friend. He nodded at the other middle schooler. Tori glared at the two boys and they shuddered under her gaze. They ran away to prepare for a match coming up.

Ryamo got the papers needed and the girls left to head to their first court. "Sora, Risa, go warm up, you're playing Doubles 2," Rin said throwing the two a tennis ball as they grabbed their rackets. "Elise, Tori, you play Doubles 1."

"Roger that Rin~!" Elise exclaimed before going into a deep conversation with Tori.

"Akira Singles 3. Breah Singles 2. Rin, Singles 1, I'll sit this first match out," Ryamo told her friends. She became distracted when people behind them began shouting and exclaiming.

"It's the Seigaku Regulars!" a random student yelled out. The girls turned their heads and saw the Seigaku Regulars sign in at the registration. Ryoma looked at the girls standing there and Ryamo winked at her twin. He smirked back, going unnoticed by his teammates. The members walked past the girls and Ryamo grabbed Ryoma's arm. "Good luck onii-chan." He nodded saying back,

"Same to you onee-chan."

"Oi, Ryoma! Let's go!" Kikumaru turned around and shouted at the boy being held up. The two siblings waved at each other and he ran to catch up with his team.

"Taigaiko Middle School," Ryamo and Rin spun around to see Koriko Jr. High. "You decided to overtake the boys, huh? Just because you could beat them doesn't mean you can beat us-" he was interrupted by a tennis ball being hit by two rackets. A ball was going back and forth in a close range by Sora and Risa.

"Wow! Such close range!" a passerby stopped to watch. Ryamo stepped up to her teammates and said,

"Risa, Sora, step." The two girls took a few steps away from each other. "Elise, Tori, interrupt." Elise and Tori grabbed their rackets and ran in between the two girls, taking the ball with them, passing it back and forth extremely close, just before Tori hit the ball far away. "Akira," Ryamo stated. Akira took off after the ball and before it hit the ground, she launched it towards Breah and she smacked it high into the air. Breah then got on one knee and linked her hands together. Rin used it as leverage and was launched up after the ball. She hit the ball in a downwards spiral and Ryamo hopped, meeting the ball in midair, just before hitting it to the fence and sticking it there, although it was still spinning. The crowd stood out in awe at the girls and they returned to the court to play their match, not even noticing the Seigaku Regulars gawking at them.

**.../~\...**

"Game goes to Taigaiko Jr. High!" the announcer shouted out. The crowd of middle schoolers cheered for their school as the girls left the court to get ready for their next match. So far they hadn't lost one match and were next for the semifinals.

"Girls, let's go check out Seigaku and Fudomine's match," Risa said, pointing towards a match everyone was quiet at. They nodded and followed Risa to the court. When they arrived, no one was playing and Rin asked a passerby,

"What's going on?"

"A player's been injured," she whispered nervously.

"Do you know who was injured?" Elise asked.

"Ryoma Echizen," she breathed out.

Ryamo froze. Her brother was injured? How did that happen? She quickly pushed her way to the gate to enter the court. "Excuse me." When she got to the front, she saw her brother on the ground holding his eye. "Ryoma!" she gasped out. She hopped over the gate and ran, but stopped at the edge of the court. She knew the rules and if the official said it was alright for people to come onto the court they could. She heard the girls' gasps behind her but they stayed outside the gate. Ryamo looked at the official and he nodded at her. She ran to her brother and took his face in her hands. "O-onii-chan..." she breathed out.

"What? Is it bad?" he asked, knowing it was his sister.

"Ryoma," she hissed, "how on earth did you manage to cut your eyelid?" He just shrugged looking at her with one open eye. Ryamo was quite peeved that no one was coming to help her brother off the court. She pulled him up and led him to his team members. "You have a first aid kit right, Oishi?" she asked a boy, who she recalled to be Oishi as she met a week ago. He nodded and a kit was shown. She helped her twin sit down on the bench and Oishi began to sop up the blood.

"Hey, you... look... just like Ryoma..." someone said, but she was too occupied with her brother. Whispers started, even though they weren't that quiet.

"That girl looks just like Ryoma-kun," a girl from Seigaku whispered to some freshman.

"Inui-senpai, what do you think?" a freshman asked a boy in sweats and a white t-shirt.

"It seems as though they might be related or something special to each other, with the way she holds his hand and looks at him worryingly. Not to mention he lets her hold his hand," Inui stated his opinion.

"You're right," Tori said. "They are related. Ryoma-chan is Rya's twin brother." The freshman just stated at the tall girl who was looking at the two on the court. "By the way, I'm Tori Honda," she said, sticking her hand out to Inui. He nodded and told her his name. She introduced the rest of her friends and the freshman introduced themselves as well.

"I-Inui-senpai... Do you know how Ryoma-chan got that injury?" Elise asked in a small child voice.

"Shinji of Fudomine had tried a technique of numbing the arm and Ryoma tried spinning around to hit the ball, but he lost his grip and his racket flew from his hand, hitting the left pole of the net, snapping in half and the sharp point coming back at him, successfully cutting his eyelid," Inui explained to the girls. They nodded completely understanding what had happened, they turned their attention back to the twins.

"Um, mind me asking, but why are you so worried about Ryoma?" Momoshiro asked the girl holding Ryoma's hand and Ryoma cooperating willingly.

"You would be worried for your twin brother if this happened to him too," Ryamo whispered loud enough for only them to hear. She squeezed Ryoma's hand and he squeezed here's back, giving her comfort.

"What do you mean, 'twin brother'?" Momoshiro asked her again.

"I mean, my name is Ryamo Echizen and Ryoma Echizen is my twin brother," she hissed at him.

"Ah! So that's why you kissed his cheek a week before!" Kikumaru exclaimed, finally getting it now.

"Oishi," Ryamo stated, completely ignoring Kikumaru at the moment, "is the bleeding going to stop?"

Oishi just looked at her with a slight shake of his head.

"Oh, Ryoma-chan, I got your racket~!" a girl voice said aloud, getting the attention of many.

Ryoma opened his good eye at the sound of the nickname his sister's friends had given him. "A-ah, thank you Akira-senpai, can you put it in my bag and get out the spare?"

"Roger that hurt Ryoma-chan~!" she saluted him and Ryoma closed his eye once again.

"You're still playing with your injury?" Oishi asked him.

"He can play if it stops bleeding," Ryamo breathed out.

"Oishi, bring me the first aid kit and Ryoma come here," Ryuzaki told them. Ryoma stood and went over to his coach, and then she proceeded to wrap up his eye.

"I-it stopped bleeding," he said, touching the cover over his eye.

"It should hold for 15 minutes or less," she explained.

"You're not really going to let him play again are you? He needs to go to a hospital!" Oishi demanded. "Ryamo you're not even going to stop him?!"

"If Ryoma says he can do it, I believe him. He's my brother and I trust him wholeheartedly," she stated firmly.

Tezuka appeared in front of Ryoma with his racket. "If you can't finish the match in 10 minutes, then you have to forfeit," he stated simply. He nodded and took his spot on the court. Ryamo walked back to her spot next to her team.

"He's good. They stopped the bleeding but he has 10 minutes to finish the match," she explained to them answering all their questions. "Did you find out how it happened?"

"Inui-senpai said he tried the spin maneuver for a technique like Rin's. He lost his grip and his racket shot from his hand and the sharp point came back at him," Risa said with many strange hand gestures. Ryamo nodded completely understanding.

"I guess he wanted to try it... Even though you're the only one I've ever seen master that technique Rya," Elise said quietly. The Seigaku freshman and Inui looked at them.

"What do you mean 'mastered that technique'?" a freshman in bright clothes asked.

"She means that Rya has completely mastered with spinning around and not losing your grip on your racket," Breah explained further, quite annoyed that they hadn't gotten it. They said some weird words then got into a deep conversation and turned their attention back on the game.

"Five hits and his arm will go numb again," Rin said a few seconds after. People looked at her, then back at the game. Ryoma had hit his fifth hit and Shinji had sent it back, but Ryoma froze. "Ryoma's fallen into his trap."

"It's like your technique Rin," Sora said. Rin nodded and rested her attention at the still confused Ryoma. "He needs to use-"

"It would be the only way to win the match," Akira declared.

"Shhh... Listen," Tori said quietly. The girls dropped their voices and paid attention to what Ryoma was saying.

"But you've never used that technique on a nitōryū before, eh?" he asked, a smirk gracing his features. Shinji looked taken aback as the ball came back at him on his other side. He hit it and it went to Ryoma's right, but Ryoma switched hands and hit it back over.

"Then I'll just have to numb both your arms!" Shinji exclaimed, becoming quite frustrated.

"He's becoming distracted," Elise said with a smirk. "That's probably Ryoma-chan's plan, after all." The other girls smirked along with Elise and Ryamo looked at her brother.

_'Don't overdo it Ryoma-niichan.'_


	3. Chapter 3

Tennis Princess of Taigaiko

Chapter Three

Prefectural Finals and Defeated Golden Pair?

_"Then I'll just have to numb both your arms!" Shinji exclaimed, becoming quite frustrated. _

_"He's becoming distracted," Elise said with a smirk. "That's probably Ryoma-chan's plan, after all." The other girls smirked along with Elise and Ryamo looked at her brother. _

_'Don't overdo it Ryoma-niichan.'_

**.../~\...**

"And Seigaku Jr. High takes the spot in the semifinals!" the announcer shouted through the microphone. Akira covered her ears.

"Ahck, why does he have to yell through the microphone when we were all watching the match anyways?" she complained and Sora shrugged.

"I don't know, maybe he wants to bust your eardrum?" Akira had a vein bust from her head and she glared at Sora. She only shrugged and continued eating pocky that Risa gave her.

"Way to go Ryoma-chan!" all the girls shouted at the same time. Ryamo stayed quiet and left the girls and walked over to a fountain. She sighed in despair.

"I don't know if I should accept the offer or participate in the Kantou Regionals..." she whispered, running her fingers along the edge of the fountain.

"Rya~!" a voice shouted. "It's time for the match~!" Ryamo turned and spotted Sora running towards her. She nodded and took off in the direction of the court. When she got there, she motioned for the girls to follow her.

"Doubles 2, Risa and Sora. Me and Rin will take Doubles 1," Ryamo stated.

"B-but, Rya, I heard that Ryoma-chan was doing Singles 1..." Risa trailed off.

"I know, I just want to go up against the Golden Pair of Seigaku," she said, staring off at Kikumaru and Oishi. Her friends nodded, completely understanding. "Girls, since we've never played them before, I don't expect you to go all out," Ryamo told them, looking at each and every one of them. "Save that for Kantou. We have to keep a few techniques secret, so if you can't win, don't stress. We'll get back at them." She smirked and the girls entered the spot they were to sit at.

"Doubles 2, with Taigaiko Sohma-Minori Pair against Seigaku Shusuke-Kawamura Pair. Taigaiko's Minori serve first," the official said. The girls nodded and Risa took the ball to serve it.

"Sora, you're forgetting something, aren't you?" Tori asked her. Sora looked around her and Tori tossed her racket. Sora's head dropped down so her bangs were hiding her face. "Thanks, Tori-chan," she laughed evilly. Risa served the ball and it gracefully went over the net. Kawamura hit it back forcefully, but Sora stopped it, successfully getting a point. "Hehehe," she laughed scarily. "Don't get too excited Takashi-kun..." You could clearly see the deep gulp he took as he got back in his place.

Risa served the ball again and Fuji hit it back again to the right corner, but Risa was waiting there. She hit it back, but Kawamura hit it to the other corner and scored them a point. "Sora, Shusuke is like Breah, analyzing the court and where the ball will land," Risa breathed out. Sora nodded zombie-like and laughed again, though it was more of a cackle.

"Sora, Risa, don't use it," Akira said loud enough for them to hear.

"Don't worry Akira, we aren't going all out for this, like Ryamo said, saving it for Kantou," Risa assured her. Akira and Tori nodded, Breah, Rin, and Ryamo just sat there watching and studying Fuji and Takashi's moves.

**.../~\...**

"Shusuke-Kawamura Pair of Seigaku wins!" Ryamo smirked.

"Ready Rin?" she asked the girl stretching out before her. A small 'Hm,' was her response and the two stepped on the court.

"They really have people going up against the Golden Pair?" Seigaku students asked.

"Yeah! Alright! It's the Starlet Duo! This'll be the second time I get to see their doubles match!" a student from Taigaiko shouted out. People in the audience were murmuring about hearing of the 'Starlet Duo,' and how they beat the Dynamic Pair.

"The match between the Taigaiko Echizen-Sujiami Pair and Seigaku Kikumaru-Oishi Pair will begin with Taigaiko Echizen to serve," the official announced. Ryamo took the ball back and bounced it a few times before hitting it over the net.

"You'll have to try harder than that~!" Kikumaru said to them, successfully sending the ball back over.

"Ryamo," Rin said, letting the ball pass her. Ryamo hit the ball over the net and Kikumaru went after it, but the ball flew behind him, he flung his arm back and hit it over the net. "Rin, acrobatic cat," Ryamo said as her teammate hit the ball over the net, crowd whispering about how she returned the ball. "Ryamo, déjà vu," Rin said, backing up to the middle of the court, Ryamo joining her in the middle as well. Oishi sent the ball over the net, it soaring over. "Ready?" Ryamo nodded and Rin helped her spring into the air at the level the ball was at. Their targeting was off just a bit, but Ryamo used that to her advantage. She used her racket and sent it to the far back corner of the court, sending it over, successfully gaining a point. She came down, landing gracefully on one foot before turning on her heel and getting ready to serve the ball.

"Ryamo, I wanna see it~!" Risa demanded. Ryamo smirked and tossed the ball in the air, hopping up after it. She served the ball and made it curve to Kikumaru's face. He couldn't return it, and Oishi was on the other side of the court. The crowd gaped at the girl.

"The Twist Serve!" Horio shouted out. "I thought only Echizen could do that!"

"Well, what do you expect from Ryamo Echizen, twin sister of Ryoma Echizen?" Breah muttered loud enough for everyone to hear. Some people gasped and others froze. Now that that girl mentioned it, the two do look almost exactly alike.

**.../~\...**

So far, the two doubles teams were tied with 5-5. Both teams were panting heavily. "Rin, you ready for it?" Rin nodded and tossed her racket up, catching it when it came back down in her left hand. People stared at her until Ryamo said, "Mada Mada Dane," and switched to her left hand as well.

"T-they both switched hands!? H-how?!" schools shouted out, that were watching the match. Ryamo and Rin smirked. They knew this would happen, not everyone could play tennis with both hands.

"You students are so gullible," Sora began, "Rya and Rin are one of the best doubles teams existed. They completely mastered pro techniques, and play their own game." She smirked before laughing creepily, until Elise took her racket away from her hand.

"Sora, quit scaring the children," she told her, hitting her on the head with the racket.

"But Eli! It wasn't my fault!" she exclaimed, grabbing her head. She then proceeded to claim that it was her racket and it was possessed by a demon that changed her into a zombie. Complete fully with hand gestures and movements.

A whistle blew, completely interrupting the girls' argument but turning their attention back on the match.

Ryoma smirked an identical smirk to his sister. He knew she would try something like that. She only ever switches hands when she wants to actually defeat the people she's up against. He looked out and stared at Rin. Besides Ryamo, Rin was the only one ever to beat him in a match. She had the skills and grace of a pro, but lacked the social skills. Before her and Ryamo met, Rin had been the one person in her class to always be the top of her class. She never talked to anyone until Ryamo introduced herself and became number one in their class. Rin had tried out tennis for the first time a month after she and Ryamo became friends. They were basically a pro doubles team, could beat anyone if they tried and trained hard enough. Ryoma watched as Rin served the ball over the net and shout, "Rya!"

Ryamo reacted immediately. She quickly dove after the ball, successfully hitting it over the net and just out of Kikumaru's reach. "Rin," Ryamo started, "Do it."

Rin nodded at her best friend and bounced the ball a few times. She tossed it in the air before it went up too great a distance and it dropped down to make an underhand serve, she hit it over the net with fast accuracy. Oishi barely got to it and became distracted when some of Taigaiko's students shouted out, "It's Rin's Drop Serve!"

"Inui-senpai? What's a Drop Serve?" the freshman of Seigaku asked their upperclassman.

"The Drop Serve is extremely hard to master and very hard to use. Only one with a loose grip but strong serve can do it. You have to be able to relax your wrist when you serve and by doing so you put an unnatural spin on the ball and it flings downwards in an opposite spiral. When it first hits the ground, the ball spins for a second or two and the bounces back towards the net; making it nearly impossible to hit back," Inui explained to his underclassmen.

Rin took the ball again and bounced it a couple times. She tossed it up and hit it over the net, doing the Drop Serve. Everyone gasped about how "unreturnable" the serve was, but Kikumaru hit it right back without problem. "You'll have to try something else. That serve won't work on me," he smirked before returning he ball over the net.

"How did he...?" Rin trailed off as she glared at the ball that got by her.

"He's the Acrobatic Cat, together with Oishi the Golden Pair," Ryamo managed to breath. This Eiji Kikumaru was something else. She hadn't really gotten the acrobat technic quite yet, though she was trying. It pissed her off when someone that dances around most of the time was able to master that technic. She wanted to wipe that smile off his face. 'Eiji Kikumaru,' her thoughts ran through her head. 'You will not beat me.'

"Rin, use it," Ryamo whispered to her best friend. Rin stared at her and tried to focus on what she had said. She wanted her to use 'that'? 'I thought she said not to go all out?' Rin thought to herself, going back to the line. As she turned around she saw why Ryamo wanted her to use 'that'. Her best friend wants to defeat Kikumaru and wipe that smug grin off his face. Rin knew that Ryamo struggled with learning the acrobatic playing style; she knew the reason why too. And Ryamo always got mad when someone went around showing off moves like that, being all flashy. Well at least that's what Ryamo thought of Gakuto, the idiotic acrobatic player from Hyotei, so Rin assumed it was the same for Eiji Kikumaru.

Rin spun the ball and let it drop before hitting it with her racket. The ball soared over the net, but faintly disappeared before reappearing past both Kikumaru and Oishi. The crowd was shocked to say the least. Fuji's eyes were open and staring curiously at the girl that had used that serve. He thought only he could do it. Oishi took the ball back and began to do his serve.

Taigaiko students began shouting and screaming. "Tai-Gai-Ko! Tai-Gai-Ko! T-A-I-G-A-I-K-O! For Taigaiko!" They all screamed loudly. Ryamo and Rin began swaying back and forth, listening to their school students shout the usual Taigaiko cheer.

Oishi served the ball over the net and Rin sent it over. Kikumaru hit it back with great accuracy and Ryamo slid on the ground a bit before jumping up and hitting it over the net. But once the ball hit the ground, instead of bouncing back up like normal, it rolled in the shape of a "C." Everyone gaped and Ryamo smirked, "Drive C."

"So you finally mastered it, huh onee-chan?" Ryoma mumbled. Now there was another move that he had to overcome in order to beat his sister in a match. She could already beat their dad if she actually wanted to play a match with him, but she doesn't want to play with an old man that reads perverted books. Ryoma turned his attention back to the match and was surprised to hear the official say, "Game to Taigaiko Echizen-Sujiami Pair, 7games-6." Taigaiko students cheered and shouted. Ryamo and Rin left the court and to their teammates.

"You're up Tori, make sure you get a good look at Viper's Snake Shot," Breah said. Tori stood and nodded before taking her racket.

"Rya, do you want me to..." Tori trailed off, knowing that her captain would get it. Ryamo shook her head and pointed to Kaoru Kaidoh.

"Make sure you can send that Snake shot back. We don't want him to think he can make you run around losing stamina." Tori nodded and took her place on the court. She watched as Kaidoh entered the other court and them both walked up to the net to shake hands.

"I hear you use the Buggy Whip Shot called the Snake," Tori said. "That 'Snake' won't work on me to many times." Tori smirked as a vein popped from Kaidoh's head. She shook his hand and asked, "Rough or smooth?"

"Smooth," Kaidoh hissed. Tori spun her racket and watched it land on smooth. She picked it up and said:

"Your serve."

**.../~\...**

"It's the Snake!" the three Seigaku freshmen exclaimed as they saw Kaidoh hit the ball in a curved angle. Tori let the ball get by her, watching it carefully.

"Game to Seigaku's Kaidoh 4 games-2. Change courts," the official stated. Tori walked to where her team was and Elise threw her a water bottle. She took a long drink from it and sighed.

"Don't worry Tori. We know you want to use it but you have to wait so that you can learn to beat him in the future," Sora told her panting friend. So far, Tori had only fell into Kaidoh's trap a few times but those times she lost a bit of stamina. The last few times he used the Snake, she let it pass by her so she could study its movements. She walked over to the opposite court and passed Kaidoh on the way there. Tori knew that she could easily beat the Snake with her own shot, but she wanted to be able to return the shot easily. And in order to do that, she couldn't show her shot until she studied his more. She hissed quietly and took her spot on the court, calming her nerves and relaxing.

"You got these Tori!" Risa and Sora cheered loudly. Tori just shook to relax her arms. The game was just getting started.

**.../~\...**

"Game to Seigaku Kaidoh 6 games-4," the official announced. Tori slowly walked over to her teammates and hissed. Breah gave her a water bottle and Tori nodded in thanks.

"Do you think you can beat the Snake next time Tori?" Tori turned to Ryamo and nodded.

"I know the sequence and where I'll need to be." Ryamo nodded and Rin gave Tori a paper.

"Use this training program to raise your stamina, so next time you'll be able to last longer without panting."

"Thank you," Tori told her, taking the paper. "I'll be back real quick." Tori left her teammates with a towel around her neck and a water bottle and her racket in her hand. 'I have to get rid of this stress...' she thought to herself, making her way towards the practice courts.

"You think she's okay Rya?" Elise asked. Ryamo just stared off after her friend walking away. 'It's bugging her too,' she thought.

Ryamo sighed, "You're turn Elise." Elise nodded and grabbed her racket.

"We will now start Singles 2. Match Taigaiko Romulin versus Seigaku Echizen," the official announced.

The two shook hands at the net and Elise smirked, "Good to see you again, Ryoma-chan." He smirked back and she giggled quietly, "Don't get too cocky Ryoma-chan."

**.../~\...**

Tori grunted as her swing her racket and hit the ball at a wall. The ball came back at her and her eyes narrowed. She stepped forward, let the ball bounce and go over her as she bent backwards. Before the ball got too far over her, she straightened up and successfully hit the ball, creating the illusion of a cat's claw coming down on its prey. She hissed as she did it and let the ball come back towards her before moving left so it could miss her. Tori sighed and went to pick up the ball. She had gotten the move down and was currently trying to make it stronger. She had Sora helping her trying to perfect the around-the-pole shot, but she just couldn't seem to make it work. She's only gotten the shot maybe once in every eight shots on the singles court. Tori was startled when she heard the gate to the practice courts open.

She turned around and was extremely surprised to see Kaidoh there. "U-um-"

"Fsssh," he hissed out. Tori stared quizzically. 'What the heck is 'Fsssh' supposed to mean?' she thought. "Don't let me but into your practice, I just came to practice myself."

Tori stared at his face but looked away when his eyes met hers. She had to get the courage to say this next phrase. "U-um, d-do a lot of p-people think your face is s-scary?" Kaidoh glared at her and she waved her hands in regret. "I-I didn't mean it l-like that," Tori was really beginning to regret saying that.

"Fsssh, they do seem to think that sometimes..." Kaidoh trailed off.

"O-oh! I didn't mean to pry into something that's s-supposed to be-" Tori stuttered. "A-ah, sorry Kaidoh." She bowed and hoped he would forgive her for being rude.

"Call me Kaoru."

"Huh?" Tori was shocked. Did he want her to call him by his real name?

"My name is Kaoru," Kaidoh had a faint blush on his cheeks.

"O-okay, s-sorry K-Kaoru," Tori blushed and bent to pick up her ball.

"U-um why didn't you use that move you were just using now?" Kaoru asked her.

Tori straightened and breathed deeply. She never was good a talking to boys. "Rya didn't want me to use it unless I was sure I could send back your Snake shot." Tori dropped her head so her bangs would hide her red face. This was one of the longest conversations she's had with a boy besides Ryoma. **(A/N: Anyone notice she has an inferiority complex?)**

"Ah," Kaoru let out.

"W-well I better g-get going now," Tori tried to mutter out smoothly but was unsuccessful. She blushed once again and tried going around Kaoru. But a forgotten tennis ball lay right where her foot landed and she stepped on it. The ball flew out from under her foot and she began falling forwards. She was sure she would hit the ground but was surprised to feel something warm underneath her. When she opened her closed eyes she saw that she was on top of Kaoru. She squealed in surprise and hopped off him, backing up away from him, now sitting a little away from him. Her cheeks were bright red and she put her hands on them in hopes of cooling them down. Tori could feel Kaoru's eyes on her and she shook her head. "Stupid inferiority complex," Tori whispered.

Kaoru looked at the girl sitting in front of him. He had saved her from a bad fall but when she realized that he had saved her, she immediately jumped up and went into the fetal position. This girl sure was different than any other girls he'd seen.

"S-sorry," he heard her whisper. "I-I just can't t-talk to boys very w-well..." she stuttered out quietly. She wiped her eyes that Kaoru just realized had tears in them. He leaned forward and took her chin in his hand. He used his thumb to wipe at the tears on her cheeks, blushing all the while. "T-thank you," Tori said with wide eyes.

Kaoru grunted and rubbed the back of his neck. The two were interrupted when they heard shouting and cheering from the courts their teammates were at. They both hopped up into standing positions and were blushing bright red. "U-um, I should g-go now..." Tori stuttered pointing in the direction of her teammates. She quickly walked out of the practice courts and went to where her friends were, Kaoru watching her the entire way.

"Oi, Kaidoh! We're going to Kawamura-senpai's for winning!" Momoshiro exclaimed to his classmate. Kaidoh only hissed in response.

**.../~\...**

"Let's go~!" Risa sung with joy. Most would think that they would be sad since they lost, but they didn't really try to win.

"But where are we going Risa?" Breah said smirking knowingly.

"Where are we going!?" Risa gasped before fake fainting.

"We're going to the sushi shop!" Sora exclaimed in answer, throwing her fist in the air. The other girls cheered, also throwing their fists in the air.

"Is it the same one we go to every Friday?" Elise asked. Sora and Risa nodded enthusiastically and began skipping down the road.

"The always fill me up with energy," Akira giggled.

"Us too," Ryamo, Rin, Breah, Elise, and Tori chorused.

"Hurry up you slow pokes~!" Risa turned to yell at the people taking forever to walk. "Me and Sora are already in front of the door~!"

The six girls ran to their friends standing in front of their normal sushi place they stop at on Fridays. They looked at the door and saw a sign on it.

"What?!" Risa and Sora screeched. "IT CAN'T BE CLOSED! NOOOOOOOOOO!" The others plugged their ears and Ryamo told them to shush. Rin pushed open the door when the two were quiet. The girls were quite surprised to see the Seigaku Regulars in the shop.

"Ah, Kawamura-san! Good to see you again!" As the words left Ryamo's mouth, the Seigaku students turned to look at who had entered the shop.

"Echizen-san! Long time no see! I set your girls' usual upstairs!" Kawamura-san told the girls he normally sees on Fridays.

"Sankyuu Kawamura-san!" the girls all exclaimed before racing upstairs.

"Uh, you know them dad?" Takashi Kawamura asked his dad.

He nodded and said, "They come in every Friday for sushi. It's gotten to be a habit so I always set up their usual upstairs." The team members heard some banging upstairs and then shouting. Someone came down the stairs with calm footsteps.

"Sorry for disturbing you Kawamura-san, but Ryamo noticed that there wasn't any wasabi sushi in the platter..." Rin said.

"Ah, that's right! I always forget that Echizen-san eats wasabi sushi... Here I've got some," he told her before rummaging around in the back and coming out with a platter full of wasabi sushi and giving it to Rin.

"Sankyuu Kawamura-san," Rin bowed slightly before returning upstairs with the sushi. There was another crash and someone yelling, "WASABI!" Then another adding, "IT'S THE POISON!" Most of the regulars were confused at this, but Fuji laughed.

"Quite the rambunctious bunch, eh?" he wondered aloud. Most of his team members' sweat dropped.


	4. Chapter 4

Tennis Princess of Taigaiko  
Chapter Four  
An Arranged Marriage and Someone in Love?

_"Ah, that's right! I always forget that Echizen-san eats wasabi sushi... Here I've got some," he told her before rummaging around in the back and coming out with a platter full of wasabi sushi and giving it to Rin._

"Sankyuu Kawamura-san," Rin bowed slightly before returning upstairs with the sushi. There was another crash and someone yelling, "WASABI!" Then another adding, "IT'S THE POISON!" Most of the regulars were confused at this, but Fuji laughed.

"Quite the rambunctious bunch, eh?" he wondered aloud. Most of his team member's sweat dropped.

**.../~\...**

Sora slowly walked her way to her school. Today was morning practice but she couldn't just forget what her mom had told her about last night. Their family was going over to the Kawamura family's home and the two families had big news. Sora had guessed that it had something to do with expanding the two companies. The Kawamura's owned a Sushi Shop while Sora's family owned a small cafe. She just hoped that it wouldn't be like; we will combine the two companies through marriage! Sora couldn't force someone that didn't love her or someone she didn't love to get married too. She would run away. Yep, that's what she would do if that happened. As Sora entered the club room, all her other friends were already changing and talking about how their weekend went. Risa heard the door open and turned to find her best friend there.

"Soar~!" she exclaimed. "You have finally arrived~!" The third year glomped Sora and began to talk fast and super excited. Sora could only catch small phrases of it. Something about a boy named Jirou, pocky, sleeping, and jealousy... Or at least that's what Sora heard.

"H-hang on Reese... Tell me slower," Sora managed. Risa took a deep breath and started talking slowly.

"Okay, you know how I live sorta, kinda, a little by Hyotei Gakuen? Well as I was doing my daily jogs, you know, to keep in shape, I ran into a boy with orange hair," Risa paused, looked at Sora and said with a wink, "And he was _cute_ too.

"But anyways, then we got into this conversation and he offered me some pocky and I accepted it. It was good by the way. Then some gray haired dude appeared and called him Jirou so then I introduced myself as Takami and giggled uncontrollably, and they asked if that was my real name but I just shook my head.

"So the gray haired dude introduced himself and his name was Atobe. I asked him if gray was his natural hair color and he just stared at me. Then I said, 'my name is Risa, and your roots are showing.' His hands went immediately to his hair to cover it and I just laughed with Jirou beside me. Then Oishi appeared out of nowhere and began talking to Atobe.

"I couldn't stop laughing and Oishi asked Atobe what was wrong with me and Atobe said, 'I really don't know, maybe she laughs a lot when she has a crush on someone, she was laughing with Jirou when I got here.' Oishi's face got red and he became angry, saying he had to go. Jirou came to the conclusion that Oishi had interest in me," Risa breathed deeply and sighed. Then a light bulb seemed to come over her head. "Wait, I just realized, Oishi has interest in me..." Risa's face glowed bright red and she choked up. Sora laughed at her face and soon everyone was looking at Risa, before they began laughing too.

"I-it's not f-funny!" Risa wailed. Her fists were at her sides and she was still red faced. Her cheeks puffed out in rage and her eyes seemed to become a pit of nothing. "Y-you think l-liking someone and not knowing t-their feelings b-back is f-funny?!" Risa sobbed. Her friends began to notice tears falling down her cheeks.

"R-Risa," Tori stammered. Risa may have been bright and cheerful all the time, but it was like your soul was dying when she cried. Risa's shoulders shook and she ran from the room as the sobs came out full force. The girls only stood and watched her fled before Akira whispered:

"Oh, crap," and following after the girl she thought of as her sister.

"I'll go cancel morning practice for issues in the club room I bet many will be glad..." Ryamo said before leaving to dismiss morning practice. The other five girls felt as if they had killed a puppy.

"We shouldn't have laughed at her, you know how sensitive she gets when it comes to feelings," Breah said quietly. Tori nodded and Sora walked out of the changing room. Looks like she wasn't the only one with problems...

**.../~\...**

Risa ran from the club room, crying. She hadn't meant to cry but she couldn't help it. Laughing at someone who likes someone and you don't know their feelings back. Risa felt as if she was kicked a million times in the gut.

The faster Risa ran the better she felt. Running always did help her clear her mind. But what she didn't expect was to run into something hard. She groaned, looking up to see a tree but was extremely surprised to see Shuichiro Oishi standing above her. "O-Oishi," Risa stammered before turning red and turning around to cover her face up.

"A-ah, sorry, Sohma-san!" he exclaimed before helping her up. Risa waved her hand as to accept his apology. "Sohma-san, were you by any chance, crying?"

Risa's eyes went wide and she hiccupped, she always did when someone asked her if she was crying earlier. "I-I-I-I-I-I-" Risa couldn't get the words to come out. She became embarrassed when someone other than her friends saw her cry. More tears started to pour from her eyes and she hiccupped again. She wiped angrily at the tears, but they wouldn't stop. She stopped and dropped her face down, so he wouldn't see the overflowing tears.

Risa felt a hand to under her chin and she hiccupped again. She felt a soft warm thumb brush at the tears on her cheeks. Risa knew that it was Oishi, and she didn't want him to stop. She rushed forward, into his arms, and hugged him, hoping he didn't disappear. She knew what she did was daring, but she couldn't stand not hanging on to someone when she was crying.

Oishi's arms wrapped around her and she sobbed harder. 'This must make him think I'm some kind of idiot!' Risa thought. She gripped his Seigaku jacket and shuddered. Risa felt a hand begin to stroke her hair and she gripped the jacket tighter. "I-I'm s-sorry, O-Oishi. F-for doing t-this to y-you," Risa hiccupped.

Oishi smiled and looked down at her, "Don't worry about it, I'll always be here for you when you cry." Risa's eyes went wide and she buried her face into Oishi's Jacket, smiling.

"T-thank you Shuichiro," Risa mumbled. Oishi smiled and put a hand on her head.

**.../~\...**

"I'm so freakin' tired," Sora yawned. "I don't wanna have to go to a dinner tonight for something my mom and dad want."

"Quit your whining, it's boring," Risa whacked her friend with a book. Sora stuck her tongue out at her and laid her head on the table.

"So you're family and the Kawamura family is planning to combine companies or something?" Breah asked, sitting down with her lunch.

"Mhm," Sora mumbled, her face completely covered by her arms. "I don't even know what is going to go on."

"Isn't it obvious? They are most definitely going to arrange a marriage agreement between you and the Kawamura son!" Risa exclaimed.

"Isn't the Kawamura son Takashi of Seigaku? The one with the '_Burning_' personality?" Breah adjusted her glasses on her nose. Sora nodded and glumly took a bite of Breah's pudding.

"I don't wanna marry someone that doesn't love me," she muttered.

"Wait, so _do_ you like Takashi Kawamura?" Risa asked curiously. Sora shrugged but blushed, giving Risa all the answer she needed. "Well I do wish you good luck in finding out what will happen! You have to tell me everything!"

"Don't I always?" Sora questioned, with an eyebrow raised. Risa giggled and rubbed her hands together nervously. "Well, can you tell Rya that I won't be at practice after school because I have to get ready for the 'meeting'?"

"Of course I can~!" Risa saluted.

"I'll make sure she doesn't forget," Breah confirmed. Risa pouted and crossed her arms. Sora and Breah laughed before getting up as the bell rang. "See you during Gym," Breah waved to them before going to her class, Class 3-2. Rosa and Sora were in Class 3-4.

Risa and Sora skipped to their class and took their seats. Almost immediately they were surrounded by people asking about Nationals and other things.

"Are you really not going to compete in Nationals?!" a boy asked/yelled. Risa shrugged as Sora answered:

"We dunno, Ryamo still needs to decide on if we're going to compete in Nationals or take the choice for the U.S. Open." The people around them sighed. They all knew the stubborn tennis captain freshman. Sora and Risa giggled.

Risa smiled, "Don't worry, she should have it figured out by next week-" Everyone sighed with relief before Sora said something.

"At least we hope so..." Sora muttered. They all got looks of dread on their faces and went to sit down as the teacher came into the classroom.

"Well class, let's get started, shall we?" she said before opening her book to a random page and writing English words on the board. The class groaned and opened their books. "Sohma-san, can you please translate the phrase on the board?"

"Okay~!" Risa stood and looked at the board before saying something only Sora and the teacher could comprehend. Since it was silent Risa became panicked. "W-was it wrong?!" The teacher shook her head- a bit shocked- before saying:

"No, that was entirely correct, Sohma-san." Risa smiled and giggled before sitting once again and passing a note to Sora.

Sora saw a paper land on her desk and she discreetly picked it up and unfolded it. Immediately she recognized Risa's handwriting. She glanced at her friend that sat beside her, but Risa was acting completely oblivious. Sora rolled her eyes and read the note.

_'English is too easy since Ryamo said we have to take the certain studies for it if we go help in the U.S. Open... *snicker*'_

Sora giggled quietly and took her pencil before writing back,__

'It's like we don't even have to pay attention to Yui-sensei...'

'Psh, of course not! We're already fluent in English!'

Sora rolled her eyes and put the note away.

**.../~\...**

After school Sora immediately went home. She had to get ready for the "meeting" with the Kawamuras. As she neared her home, she looked at her watch and began to run. Her mom had wanted her home at 4 o'clock sharp. It was 3:58. Her mom was going to kill her.

Sora just barely made it inside her home, and yell, "I'm home and getting in the shower!" She threw her bag into their living room and took two steps at a time. She ran to her room and grabbed the shower things she set out before school. She rushed into her bathroom and jumped in the shower. She laughed a little when she heard her mom yell from downstairs:

"What the heck did you do Sora?! It looks like all your school stuff just exploded out of your bag!" She washed the shampoo and conditioner out of her hair and yelled back,

"Can't hear you! The shower is too loud!"

"Then how can you answer back?!" Sora burst into giggles and took her towel from off the corner, wrapping it around herself and stepping from the shower. She put her dirty clothes in the laundry basket and left to walk down to her bedroom. When she got in there, she saw that her mom had left a little "present" for her to wear. It was frilly and pink and flowery and extremely girly. Sora screamed and took it in her hands with disgust.

"MOTHER!" she screeched down the hallway, "I AM NOT WEARING THIS _FREAKIN' FRILLY THING_!"

"But it's so cute~!"

"Mother! Please! This is something an elementary school kid would wear! Let me wear what I want!" Sora whined.

"Fine! But if you mess this up, so_ help_ me Soriah Doreen Minori!" her mother yelled back. Sora shook her head, leaving the dress on the ground outside her door. She went inside her room and to her closet. She picked out a red off-shoulder blouse that had the words "This is my Game" in black. She pulled on a black mid-thigh skirt along with red tights. Black flats adorned her feet and she put her hair in its usual two messy buns.

She left her room and walked down the stairs where her mom was waiting with her dad at the door. Her mom looked at her disapprovingly but her dad only smiled and ushered them out the door. "Let's go before we're late." Sora smirked at her mom before taking the back seat in their small car. Her mom fumed and crossed her arms in the front seat. Apparently, Sora's split personality comes out without holding a racket.

**.../~\...**

"Ah, we are quite thrilled to see you, Minori-san," Kawamura-san had greeted when Sora's family arrived. Sora bowed politely and removed her shoes before entering the house completely. Her mom entered behind her and jabbed Sora in the ribs with her elbow. Sora rolled her eyes and asked Kawamura-san politely:

"Is there anything you need help with, Kawamura-san?"

"Oh, Sora-san, good to see you again! Ah, there's nothing you need to worry yourself over, we can't let a guest trouble themselves with that!" Kawamura-san said happily, leading them into the dining room.

Sora grinned at him and walked behind him, silently thanking him for saving her, even if he didn't know it. Kawamura-san sat Sora's mom and dad down but he paused in having Sora sit. Sora looked at him with a confused look. Kawamura-san looked back at Sora's father and he nodded. "Sora-san, my son Takashi should be back from school any second now, you can just look around, okay?" Sora nodded at him, a little confused as to why she was allowed to go upstairs.

Sora walked towards the stairs and mindedly looked at the pictures hung up on the walls. There were pictures of the Kawamura family, pictures of just Takeshi, and some of Takashi with a dog or his mom or just his dad. But one particular picture caught her interest, a picture of Kawamura-san and his wife. It looked like they had just gotten married, but Sora couldn't quite tell. She kept walking to the top of the stairs and down the hall of the second floor. She came to a room that had the door flung open.

Sora looked inside and saw that the room was particularly clean, with a few clothes and items scattered along the floor. Sora came to the conclusion that this was Takashi's room, because a tennis racket and tennis balls were among the items on the floor, well more particularly on his bed.

Sora, feeling curious, walked into the room. She made her way to the bed and picked up the tennis racket. She gripped its handle and swung it a few times; before she tested the gut of the racket with her other hand. _This racket is heavier than normal rackets,_ she thought. _Actually, that is to be expected from the powerhouse of Seigaku…_ She heard a door slam, some talking down stairs and quick footsteps up the stairs.

_Crap! _Sora frantically dropped the racket on the bed and quickly left the room. She was grateful that Takashi's room was one of the farthest down the hall. She stepped away from his bedroom and pretended to be _extremely_ interested in a picture hanging on the wall. Takashi came bounding down the hall and didn't even pause when he saw Sora, he just ran straight into his room.

Sora stood awkwardly outside his door when he came out, in at home clothes. He stared at her and she just fidgeted. "Um, have you always been standing there, or did my dad send you up to get me?"

"I have always been here," Sora wiggled uncomfortably, a little distracted by the laughter the adults downstairs made. "I was, um, admiring this picture when you ran into your room." Sora moved to the side and showed the picture that was behind her. Takashi nodded and looked at the picture.

"That one is one of my favorites," he smiled at Sora and she cursed inwardly when she felt her cheeks heat up. "Well, we better not keep the adults waiting, now should we?" Sora shook her head and walked ahead of Takeshi. The two entered the dining room and were greeted by their parents talking about something- no one would want to hear their parents talk about.

Sora coughed and took a seat beside her dad. Takashi took a spot next to his dad, which happened to be next to Sora.

"Oh, it's so good to see you two getting along considering the fact that you'll be getting married when you're of age," Takashi's mother clapped her hands together. Sora's face paled.

"What do you mean, _getting married!?" _Sora screeched, standing up, her chair collapsing behind her.


	5. Chapter 5

_Tennis Princess of Taigaiko_

_Chapter Five_

_Sorrow and a Confession?_

_Sora coughed and took a seat beside her dad. Takashi took a spot next to his dad, which happened to be next to Sora._

"_Oh, it's so good to see you two getting along considering the fact that you'll be getting married when you're of age," Takashi's mother clapped her hands together. Sora's face paled. _

"_What do you mean, getting married!?" Sora screeched, standing up, her chair collapsing behind her._

**_…_/~\...**

"No, no, no, no, no! Mom, dad! I never agreed to this!" Sora slammed her hands on the table protesting loudly. The Kawamuras were just sitting there, looking at Sora with shock. Takashi stood up and walked out of the room, probably up to his room. Sora watched him, a little dishearted at him leaving without saying anything and with a stoic face.

"B-but, Sora, you said that you liked Takashi-kun!" Sora's mother exclaimed, rising to her feet as well.

"J-just because I s-said I liked him gives you no reason t-to set up a marriage!" Sora shot back, cursing inwardly for letting herself stutter. "Love has to happen naturally!"

"We are only helping you along!"

"Mother! Did you not notice Takashi leave just now! He probably has someone he already likes! I don't want to force the person I like into marrying me! Especially when he likes someone else!" Sora couldn't help it as tears began to make their way down her cheeks. She angrily wiped them away. The adults were staring at Sora, until Kawamura-san rose and cleared his throat.

"Perhaps you should take Sora-san home… We will speak with Takashi." Sora's father stood and nodded. He motioned for his wife and daughter to follow him. The family of three made their way into their car and Sora's dad began to drive to their home.

Sora's mom turned around to face Sora, "I-I'm sorry Sora, I didn't think about the probability of Takashi-kun liking someone already, in fact none of us did." Sora sniffed angrily.

"That's the problem mom, you _didn't_ think. You never think!" Sora wailed in the back seat, jumping from the car and running up to her room to plop down on the bed, burying her face into her pillow. A few minutes later, she heard a quiet knock on her door. Sora looked up, confused. Her family _never_ knocked. Sora was surprised to see her cousin Akaya standing there, staring at her in shock. Sora buried her head again. She wasn't supposed to show Akaya emotion like this. She was his elder cousin after all.

"S-Sora-chan?" Akaya stuttered, moving to the side of her bed, sitting down in the process. Akaya moved his hand and it hovered over Sora's head. When he set his hand a top her head, she let out a sob and sat up to bury her face in her cousin's chest. "S-Sora-chan?!" Akaya worriedly wrapped his arms around his cousin and pet her hair.

"I-it's al-alright Sora-chan…" Akaya mumbled quietly in her ear. After a few minutes, Sora calmed down enough to be able to look up at Akaya with tear stained cheeks. Silently, Sora thanked the heavens that tomorrow they didn't have school.

…**/~\...**

Sora begrudgingly walked to school the next morning. Of course they didn't have school that day but Ryamo just _had_ to have practice today. Sora sighed to herself. At least her cousin Akaya was coming with her today, since he had _skipped _his practice at his school to come see her.

"You better not try to tell your senpai-tachi about our moves," Sora had warned.

"Don't worry about it Sora-chan, I'm not Yanagi-senpai," Akaya had grinned at her, making Sora think that he was going to take notes and everything.

As the two walked into the tennis club room, Sora saw her friends and teammates getting dressed in their uniforms. Sora shrieked and pushed Akaya out before slamming the door in his face. Sora used her body to cover the doorframe and everyone looked at her. "Sora?" Risa asked.

"N-nothing~!" Sora exclaimed nervously, moving towards her locker to get out her uniform. A startled shriek and a yell were heard from the Taigaiko Regulars and they all moved to look outside their clubroom's door. When they opened the door, they were all shocked to see a black seaweed headed boy tumble into the room, an outraged Ryamo after him. The boy went and hid behind Sora.

"Sora-chan!" he wailed. "She's going to kill me!" The boy looked frightened beyond everything. Sora sighed again and said:

"Guys, this is my cousin from Rikkai Dai Fuzoku Chuu, Akaya Kirihara," Sora stepped away from the cowering boy and Ryamo glowered at the boy. He whimpered and tried to move behind Sora again, but failed. Sora looked at her baby cousin and asked, "What on earth did you do to Rya to make her so pissy?"

"I-it wasn't my fault! S-she thought I was a peeping tom!" All the girls looked to their captain, who had steam pouring from her ears.

"Anyone would think that if you were just _standing _outside the club room door where only _girls _change!" she shouted, pointing accusingly at him. He squeaked and pulled Sora in front of him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he wailed, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. It was then that Ryamo broke into a grin and the other girls laughed. "W-what?" Sora bent, placing her hands on her knees to balance herself. Breah finally composed herself and cleared her throat.

"Rya really enjoys scaring people," she smiled creepily and giggled just a little. Akaya glared at the laughing captain.

"You're more sadistic than Buchou," he murmured.

Ryamo stopped laughing hearing this. "Sora, you brought a player from another team to our practice?!" Ryamo screeched loudly. Sora stopped laughing and narrowed her eyes.

"Not my fault you decided to have practice when I was having a crisis," Sora stated, walking from the club room, Akaya behind her.

"Sora, what crisis?" Risa asked following after her best friend. Sora's eyes widened and Akaya stuttered:

"N-no c-crisis…"

Risa's eyes narrowed. "Sora, _what crisis?_" Sora sighed and turned around, tears pricking her eyes.

"I couldn't come to practice yesterday because my mom and dad had a meeting with the Kawamura family and wanted me to come. At first I didn't know why, but when we were first sitting down to eat dinner, my mom and dad told me and Takashi-kun that they were planning to marry us when we were older," Sora explained, the rest of her friends crowding around her. "And you know how I like Takashi-kun? Well, my mom decided that was good enough reason to make us fiancés. A-and Takashi-kun didn't seem to like that and he left the room without saying anything." By now Sora was rubbing at her eyes, trying to keep the tears from overflowing. Risa stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her.

"Oh, it's alright Sora," Risa gave her a sweet smile. "Everyone has that moment when they believe that the one of their affections doesn't like them back." Risa recalled the time with Oishi. Sora just shook her head, wiping her eyes.

"Well, I sure do wish that you told me that before I invited Ryoma's team to practice with us…" Ryamo trailed off, rubbing at the back of her neck sheepishly. "Sorry."

Sora's eyes widened. The Seigaku boys were coming here to practice? "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Can't you cancel Ryamo?!" Ryamo was about to answer when they heard a shout. "Sohma-san~!" Risa turned around and saw Oishi there waving. She animatedly waved back.

"Shu-chan~!" Oishi visibly blushed at the nickname and stood in front of Risa, rubbing the back of his head, apologizing for being late. Risa kept talking with the vice-captain of Seigaku's team, giggling at some points.

Sora squished herself in between Elise and Akaya, hoping that Takashi wouldn't be able to see her. "Sora-san? C-can I talk to you?" Sora grimaced and turned towards the voice.

Akaya's eyes narrowed and he stood in front of his cousin protectively. "What do you want with Sora-chan?" he growled out, shocking the Seigaku and Taigaiko regulars. Sora put her hand on Akaya's arm and grumbled.

"I'll talk to him Akaya, stay here." Sora then left the room, Takashi following after her. When they were a ways away Sora turned to him and crossed her arms. "What?"

Takashi cleared his throat and said, "Sora-san, about last night—"

"Don't worry about it. I talked to my mom and dad about it and they agreed to not have the marriage, so now you can be with whomever you like," Sora turned from him, feeling tears begin to prick around her eyes. Takashi was silent and Sora wondered if he had turned and gone back to where everyone else was. But, was she wrong.

Strong arms wrapped around her middle and she gasped, feeling a head rest on the middle of her back. "Sora-san, what if I like you?"

Sora felt her face heat up and she was frozen. "Y-you d-do?" she stuttered, moving her hands to grip on his arms. "B-but I thought that you leaving the table without saying anything meant that you liked s-someone else…"

Takashi's head raised and she was turned to face him. Looking in Sora's eyes, Takashi answered, "I left because I thought that you yelled out like that because you liked someone else. I didn't want to force you to do something you didn't want to do." Tears glistened in Sora's eyes and she laughed.

"Looks like we're more alike than anyone would think." Takashi smiled and leaned forward, pressing his lips to Sora's nose. Sora pouted, "I wouldn't of expected you to be such a tease, Ta-ka-shi~." He grinned and brought his lips down to Sora's, giving her a proper kiss. The two broke apart and smiled—Sora smirked. "Guess we better get to practice with the others…"

Takashi laughed at the look in her eyes and pulled her close to him, hugging her from behind. Sora smirked up at him and said, "Now since our parents can keep on the engagement, you do realize that for now on I'm going to scream your name and glomp you when I see you now right?"

Takashi snorted and released her, before grabbing her hand and pulling her to the tennis courts. _I could most definitely get used to this, _Sora thought.

**.../~\...**

_**Sorry it took so long to update... I was busy with school.. But to make it up to you guys.. I hope to have maybe 2 more chapters up today. See you soon~**_


	6. Chapter 6

_Tennis Princess of Taigaiko_

_Chapter Six_

_Avoidance and a Dream Confrontation?_

"_Looks like we're more alike than anyone would think." Takashi smiled and leaned forward, pressing his lips to Sora's nose. Sora pouted, "I wouldn't of expected you to be such a tease, Ta-ka-shi~." He grinned and brought his lips down to Sora's, giving her a proper kiss. The two broke apart and smiled—Sora smirked. "Guess we better get to practice with the others…"_

_Takashi laughed at the look in her eyes and pulled her close to him, hugging her from behind. Sora smirked up at him and said, "Now since our parents can keep on the engagement, you do realize that for now on I'm going to scream your name and glomp you when I see you now right?"_

_Takashi snorted and released her, before grabbing her hand and pulling her to the tennis courts. _I could most definitely get used to this, _Sora thought._

…**/~\...**

Breah Sutayame awoke from a very, very, disturbing, detailed, and sexual dream. She hadn't expected her usually calm, cool, and collected self to have a very lucid dream. And to think, Shusuke Fuji—not to mention everyone else—thought she was a super smart angel that could do anything. Well, everyone has secrets.

Breah sighed, before leaving her warm and comfy bed to prepare for the day. She showered quickly and pulled her hair into its usual short ponytail. Slipping into her school uniform, she began to think about her dream. The moist trailing of kisses, the heat of the moment, and not wanting it to stop. Breah blushed and angrily shook her head to dispel of the lingering thoughts. She was supposed to be an example for her kouhai, what kind of sempai let themselves have such a dream cloud their mind? What was wrong with her?

A she tied her green tie, Breah carefully made her way down the stairs of her house. She had to get to school now it she was going to make morning practice on time—and meet up with Elise at the normal corner. Breah grabbed some toast from the table and shouted, "I'm leaving for school!" She exited her front door and turned right.

At the corner where she normally met Elise at, she saw her blonde kouhai talking with Fuji. Breah paled—she had hoped that she wouldn't see Fuji so soon after her dream. She had to get her emotions under control.

Breah quickly turned into an alleyway earlier, hoping the two hadn't seen her. She peeked around the corner and breathed with relief when she saw Fuji no longer there. She was about to step out from her hiding spot when she felt someone breathing down her neck. She turned her head and saw Fuji's smiling face. "Good to see you again Sutayame-san." Breah squeaked, turned, and nearly ran, taking Elise with her.

Fuji's cerulean eyes opened as he looked at Breah's retreating figure, confusion shown clearly. He was suspicious as to why Breah had suddenly begun acting nervous and distancing herself. Fuji swore to himself that he'd find out what was bothering Breah.

…**/~\...**

"B-Breah! Why did you run from Fuji-kun?" Elise asked the pale-faced third year as they stopped in front of the Taigaiko Middle School's gates.

"Uh… um… I-I don't know…" Breah stammered, trying to come up with a good excuse. How could she tell Elise why she ran without telling her about the dream?

"Are you mad a Fuji-kun or something?" Elise asked. "Did he do something to make you uncomfortable?" Elise's eyes narrowed when she saw Breah ignore her and walk forward into the school's gates. Breah was caught up in her thoughts, so she couldn't answer Elise back. Elise slowly walked behind Breah, wondering about all the things Fuji could've done to Breah. Elise lifted her head when she heard her name being called.

"Elise~!" Risa was waving maniacally with Akira right beside her. Risa was about to run over and jump on top of Elise when Akira grabbed her arm.

"Risa, don't go glomping people so early in the morning," Akira scolded her senpai. A sigh was heard from behind Elise and she turned around.

"Why do you have to be so loud in the morning Akira?" Tori muttered, yawning.

"Back off stupid cat," Akira grumbled, clenching her fist. Turning to Breah she asked, "Breah, what happened between you and Fuji-kun? I got a call for Momo-kun and he told me that Fuji-kun never showed up for morning practice at Seigaku."

"Oh!" Risa shouted. "Breah is mad at Fuji… So you can't talk about it." Everyone just stared at the hyper active third year. Akira was beginning to wonder if Risa was entirely right in the head.

The group of five quickly made their way to the tennis courts. They were extremely surprised to find that no one was in sight. "Great," Tori rolled her eyes.

"So you guys think Ryamo cancelled practice and didn't tell us again too, huh?" Rin's voice cut through the silence like a knife. Risa yelled happily and tried to jump on Rin. "Risa, don't hug me every time you see me please."

Risa pouted and sighed dejectedly. "Don't listen to her Risa… She's just our kouhai. I'm afraid she can do nothing about it if we hug her to death." Risa squealed and hugged her best friend. Sora giggled and hugged her back, before turning to Rin. "You made me do this Rin." Sora whispered in Risa's ear and they both tackled Rin to the ground.

"So, not even Rin, Rya's 'caretaker', doesn't even know where Rya is," Elise concluded. The seven girls were all beginning to think that the first year captain had cancelled tennis practice and told everyone but the regulars, _again._

"You mean I could've slept in this morning?" Sora asked, removing herself from the ground.

"No! You can't sleep in when you all are late for the run around the school!" The girls all turned and saw Ryamo running in front of the entire tennis team.

"It's Wednesday right?" Akira received several nods. "Crap, we all forgot about Running Wednesday."

"Why did Ryamo even try to start that?" Tori asked. Risa shrugged and decided to head into the club room to change.

"She shouldn't have even started it if she knew we would forget…" Breah sighed, going to the locker room as well, a bit distractedly. Ryamo came to a stop next to Rin.

"Something's wrong with Breah, and we must discover what it is… Because it's messing with Fuji-kun as well," Ryamo told her friend. "He had asked me about it when I saw him out by the school gates, _lurking _around."

"Well, Rya, it seems as though I've been dubbed your 'caretaker' by everyone else," Rin inwardly face palmed. "Can you tell me what is wrong with our senpais?"

Ryamo shrugged. "I'm just as lost as you are."

…**/~\...**

"Okay everyone, gather around!" Ryamo called together the tennis club members. "Great job today, you all gave 110%! But tomorrow I expect to see 120%! Second years make sure you remember to remove your weights. No need to wear them during school. Alright, dismissed!" Ryamo let everyone get off early for afternoon practice.

"Rya, why did you let practice get off early?" Tori asked her captain and kouhai.

Ryamo grinned sheepishly. "I just wanted to go—"

"Ochibi-chan!" Ryamo's face turned from sheepish to angry in a matter of seconds. She turned and saw _all _the Seigaku regulars instead of just her brother.

"Onii-chan! I only wanted to spend time with you after practice!" she whined, going to cling off Ryoma. Sora and Risa came out of the club room and saw the boys immediately.

"Takashi~!" Sora yelled loudly, going to jump on and hug her fiancé. Risa was the next to react.

"Shuichiro, so good to see you~!" Risa went and gave Oishi a half hug. The other boys decided to wait, with a glare from Ryamo, for the other girls to get out of the club room.

Inside the club room, Breah, Elise, Akira, Tori, and Rin were changing from their practice clothes when Ryamo walked in. "Girls, the Seigaku boys are here and waiting for you to finish changing." _This _caught Breah's attention.

"T-the boys are here?" This caused Elise to eye her suspiciously.

"So something really serious happened between you and Fuji-kun?" Akira asked. Breah blushed brightly and Risa and Sora came inside the room.

"Oh, oh! Are we finally confronting Breah about what happened between her and Fuji?" Risa was super excited to finally find out what happened.

"Oh, I have a good one…" Sora smirked. "Was it a dream~?" The others laughed and Elise asked:

"How on earth could that be it Sora? Breah isn't as perverted as you." Sora scoffed and sniffed loudly while everyone else laughed. But Rin noticed Breah wasn't laughing, only blushing brightly.

"Breah," Rin started, "Did you really have a dream about you and Fuji-kun?" Breah stood up abruptly and began stuttering.

"He didn't—I didn't—we didn't—it wasn't—"

"Breah… Why don't you tell us about it…? We won't judge you," Tori said softly. Breah wrung her hands together and blushed.

"I don't think I want to…" Breah trailed off.

"Please…?" Sora and Risa whined together. Breah nodded and dropped her head.

"Alright…" Breah took a deep breath and began. "Well, it started like any normal dream. You know the usual. We were all just sitting around a campfire, us girls and the boys, roasting marshmallows. We were talking about normal things. Then the next thing I knew, Rya got up and everyone else followed her for a walk in the woods except for Fuji and I.

"Well, Fuji came over and sat next to me. I had just finished roasting a marshmallow and had brought it to my mouth to eat it. I ended up being messy and got some on my nose. When I went to take it off, Fuji turned my head to him and he licked it off… T-then he told me, 'I want you.' And he lowered me down on the log and—"

"Okay, we don't need to hear the rest of it," Akira waved her hand to stop Breah from continuing. Sora looked at Breah and asked:

"So you aren't _mad _at Fuji?" Breah shook her head and Sora sighed. "Good, I thought we would have to lock you in a closet to get you two to make-up." The girls all laughed and began to exit the club room. When Rin opened the door, they were greeted by Momoshiro and Kikumaru falling on the floor.

"You perverts!" the girls all yelled.

"Onii-chan, I thought you said your teammates were more mature than this," Ryamo glared at her brother and poked his chest.

"I said that they _aren't _any more mature than you are," Ryoma said pointedly, smirking at his sister's anger.

"Yeah, I'm not talking to you," Ryamo turned away from her brother and whined to Rin. "Rin~… Ryoma's being mean to me~!" Rin rolled her eyes and glared at her friend.

"Ryamo, Ryoma does have a point. I was there when he was telling us about his childish teammates." Ryamo frowned and crossed her arms, pouting.

"I swear, sometimes you people are plotting against me." Ryamo turned to Momoshiro and Kikumaru. "Why were you guys listening in on our conversation?"

Kikumaru shrugged. "Fujiko told me that Sutayame-chan was ignoring him, so I wanted to know why. And Ochibi said it would be smart if we listened through the door."

"You actually believed my brother?" Kikumaru shrugged. Breah paled and thought, _Crap that means he probably relayed everything to Fuji. _Breah tried to slowly sneak away from everyone else, but failed miserably.

"Sutayame-san, where are you going," Fuji asked with his usual smile on his face.

"U-um, nowhere…" Breah trailed off as sweat trickled down her neck. "I wasn't going anywhere." She smiled and Fuji's eyes narrowed at her suspiciously. Fuji walked up to Breah and took her arm, leading her away from everyone else. "F-Fuji—"

Breah was cut off when Fuji slammed her back against the back wall of the club room. "Breah," he breathed, "If you are embarrassed about your dream, don't worry about it. I can assure you, I don't think any differently of you." He hooked a finger under Breah's chin and she stared up into his cerulean eyes.

"Shu-Shusuke—"Breah whispered out as Fuji lowered his mouth onto her's. Breah's arms snaked around Fuji's neck and his hands twined with her hair. Fuji pulled away from her and rested his forehead on her's. _That _was when they heard a small snort of muffled laughter and rushed whispering. Breah blushed bright red and pulled away from Fuji. Fuji chuckled and took Breah's hand. He then proceeded to lead her back to where everyone else was.

"Are we still doing what we came here to do, or what?" Fuji asked, smiling as usual. Elise giggled, covering her mouth.

"Well, now that we have things settled between Breah and Fuji-kun;" causing Breah to blush, "let's get a move on to go eat!" This earned shouts of "Hooray!" from everyone else and they all left, Fuji and Breah, hand-in-hand.


	7. Chapter 7

_Tennis Princess of Taigaiko_

_Chapter Seven_

_Sickness and a Caring Momo?_

"_Shu-Shusuke—"Breah whispered out as Fuji lowered his mouth onto her's. Breah's arms snaked around Fuji's neck and his hands twined with her hair. Fuji pulled away from her and rested his forehead on her's. That was when they heard a small snort of muffled laughter and rushed whispering. Breah blushed bright red and pulled away from Fuji. Fuji chuckled and took Breah's hand. He then proceeded to lead her back to where everyone else was. _

"_Are we still doing what we came here to do, or what?" Fuji asked, smiling as usual. Elise giggled, covering her mouth._

"_Well, now that we have things settled between Breah and Fuji-kun;" causing Breah to blush, "let's get a move on to go eat!" This earned shouts of "Hooray!" from everyone else and they all left, Fuji and Breah, hand-in-hand._

…**/~\...**

"Achoo!"

"Onee-chan*, I don't want your germs!" Akira's ten year old brother exclaimed. Akira only sniffed and wiped her nose. _All weekend_ Akira had been sick with the flu and she wasn't entirely cured yet. Her mom had made her go to school, while her five year old sibling stayed home with the sniffles. _Sometimes it really sucks being the oldest. _And then her siblings were giving her grief for sneezing all the time and, she really didn't want to go to school.

"Aneki*, Tray, walk faster! At this pace you two won't even be here by Christmas!" Akira's _other _ten year old sibling yelled. Currently, Akira and her two ten year old twin siblings—Tray and Miki—were walking to the bus stop, while Akira was on her way to school.

"Miki, onee-chan can only walk so fast while she's still sick!" Tray yelled at his twin sister and took Akira's hand. Akira brought her other hand up to her head and winced, _just great, another headache. _"You okay, onee-chan?"

"Yeah, I'm alright otouto*," Akira pet her little brother's head and smiled.

"Tray, hurry up! The bus is here!" Miki shouted, hopping on the bus. Tray turned his head and looked at the bus.

"I'm coming Miki!" Tray yelled before looking back at Akira. "Don't try to do anything to exerting, onee-chan."

"I promise I won't otouto, don't worry so much," Akira forced a smile and held back a cough. "Now you better hurry before Miki tells the bus driver to just leave and you can walk to school." Tray looked appalled at the idea and let go of Akira's hand, turning and running to the bus. Akira giggled and waved at her brother and sister as the bus drove away. She turned the corner and was greeted by an over happy Risa.

"Akira, no matter what Sora says, you say that _he _is hotter," Risa shoved a picture in Akira's face. Akira took the picture and looked at it. There was a man in the picture with shaggy orange hair and bright green eyes. He was posing with a soccer ball on one hip and his hand resting on the other. The man was wearing a black and white soccer jersey with a small number 6 on the right side of his chest. Akira rolled her eyes and gave Risa back her picture. "Don't take Sora's side. We have been arguing about this all weekend. Akira sneezed and wiped her nose with her sleeve. "Don't you dare sneeze on my Jordan." Risa held the picture extremely close to her chest, cradling it.

"Psh, Akira, you can sneeze all over _Jordan,_" Sora walked up behind Akira and Risa and sneered at Risa's picture.

"How on this freaking earth can you be in that mood so early in the morning?" Akira asked her "bi-polar" senpai. Sora just shrugged and smirked.

"Akira, you have to agree with me when I say that Risa's _Jordan _is nothing compared to _my _Mark." Sora then showed Akira her picture and Akira saw the German male model that Sora goes on and on about.

The model had Emo black hair that covered his left eye. His eyes were outlined in black eyeliner and he had no shirt on. Akira could only guess that the guy was posing for a magazine. His almost black eyes seemed to be _smirking _at the camera, even though the guy was emotionless. Akira rolled her eyes and gave Sora her picture back.

"Personally," Akira started, "I don't like either." Sora and Risa stared at her with wide eyes. "What?" Sora's and Risa's eyes narrowed before they both huffed and left Akira wondering what was wrong with them.

"This is going to be a _long _day," Akira sighed and went through the school gates.

…**/~\...**

"Romulin-san, please read on page 32 paragraph 4," Yuuko-sensei called out to Elise, who was talking to her neighbors.

"Alright, sensei!" Elise exclaimed, hopping to her feet and began reading in the English book.

Akira was completely zoning out whatever was happening in the classroom. She stared out the window and watched as birds flew together. Akira felt her eyelids droop wearily and she let her head rest on top of her hand. She was clueless to what her teacher was saying.

Tori—who was sitting behind Akira—shook her awake slightly. "Akira, you have to read paragraph 9," she whispered to the abnormally sleepy red head. Akira stood up and blinked a few times to clear her head. Akira picked up her book and began to read from it. Akira's reading began to slow and she barely registered that she was slowly slipping from consciousness. Akira yawned, and that was the key to making her drop her book and fall to the floor. There was a squeak and a yell and just barely Akira could feel arms wrap around her. Akira faintly recalled Yuuko-sensei saying:

"Can you please take her to the infirmary, Honda-san?"

Tori nodded and lifted Akira up bridal style. She left the room as Yuuko-sensei continued class. Tori took Akira to the infirmary and was surprised to find that the nurse wasn't there. Tori shook her head and set Akira on one of the beds. She covered Akira with a blanket and looked around, left a short note for when the nurse comes back and left to go back to the classroom, Akira snoring quietly as she did.

…**/~\... **

"Ryamo," Tori called out before the freshman captain could continue yelling orders, "Akira is in the infirmary sleeping."

"Ah… She must've not gotten enough rest last night," Ryamo guessed. Tori nodded but thought that maybe something else was wrong with Akira. "Okay, everybody, gather around, I have an announcement." Everyone stopped their stretching to look at the tennis captain. "We will be practicing with a few people from another school. How about we all welcome the tennis team from Seigaku?" Ryamo smiled and the _entire _Seigaku tennis team.

"Ryamo… Why did you invite them here?" Rin asked her strange friend.

Ryamo only shrugged. "I don't know… Maybe this is a chance to learn about our _enemies_." Ryamo's eyes glinted at Kikumaru as she glared.

Rin looked at Ryamo as she walked over to Tezuka to discuss some things. Rin didn't exactly wonder why Ryamo was so rude and mean to Kikumaru. She knew that Ryamo had always trained to be the best tennis player possible. Ryamo was already an all-rounder, but Ryamo had wanted to be the best. Some people were greater than her, so she tried to learn every single technic of anybody. Right now Ryamo was working on mastering the Acrobatics playing style, but she was struggling.

When Ryamo had first tried doing Acrobatics, she hurt her leg drastically and the doctor said she shouldn't try to learn Acrobatics anymore. But Ryamo was stubborn. After extensive physical therapy, she was in top condition again but she had to take pills when her leg started acting up. Thanks to that accident, Ryamo couldn't master Acrobatics easily and she hated it when other people that did Acrobatics showed off, it made Ryamo extremely mad. Rin couldn't help but think that one of these days, hating Acrobatic people would bite her in the butt.

Ryamo finished speaking with Tezuka and called out to everyone. "Alright, so the second years will practice on courts E and F. Third years will be on courts C and D. Regulars will be on courts A and B. And first years will go around helping the others by picking up balls," Ryamo explained to everyone, not expecting a Seigaku freshman to yell out.

"Why's a freshman telling us all what to do?" it was Horio, of the Seigaku Trio. Most of the Taigaiko tennis team glared at him and said all together:

"She's buchou." Ryamo and the Taigaiko regulars had to stifle their laughter. Horio's face was of pure shock and he blushed red for bringing attention to himself.

"Okay, everyone get to practice!" Ryamo laughed out, waving everyone off. The tennis team saluted and immediately went to where the Seigaku students were and led them to their respective courts. Ryamo turned to the regulars and said, "My regulars, I don't care what you do for now. Tezuka-kun and I still have to discuss what to do. So go stretch or rally. Rin, I'll need you to help me with a rally." Rin nodded and Ryamo turned to Tori. "Tori, why don't you go wake up Akira. She might want to be here today." Ryamo grinned and wiggled her eyebrows, glancing at Momoshiro. Tori snorted a little and said:

"Okay, Ryamo."

As Tori left the courts, Momoshiro gave her a curious glance, seeming to ask, "What's wrong with Akira?" Tori waved him off and quickly left the courts to go to the infirmary.

Tori walked into the infirmary and was shocked to see that the nurse wasn't there. The note that she had left earlier was in the same spot she left it in, untouched. That means the nurse wasn't here all day. It's a miracle Akira didn't wake up and start wandering around in her sleep deprived state.

Tori went to the side of the bed Akira was in and set a hand on her head. Tori's eyes narrowed as she noted that Akira's forehead was slightly warm. Tori pushed it aside and began shaking Akira. When Akira only mumbled and turned away from Tori. Tori rolled her eyes and flicked Akira's nose. Akira woke up shouting, "It wasn't me!" Tori stifled her laughter and Akira whined, "Why'd you wake me up?"

"Ryamo wants you there for practice today. She thought you might like to be there with the boys around," Tori said blandly. Akira's eyes widened and she sat up.

"Why are the boys here?" Tori noted that Akira's voice sounded nasally, different from its usual tone.

"Akira, are you sick?" Tori asked. Akira laughed, brushing the topic off and got out of the bed.

"I am perfectly fine you stupid cat." Akira grinned but Tori couldn't help but feel something was wrong with her.

"Alright," Akira sneezed and apologized, blaming it on allergies, swiping a finger under her nose. "Come one, let's go."

Akira and Tori made their way to the tennis club room. Tori left Akira in there alone and went back to the courts to stretch out. Tori's eyes were drawn to where Ryamo and Rin were rallying. Ryamo seemed to be rallying too aggressively for at first wanting a light rally. Tori summarized that Seigaku's Kikumaru must've asked a question. The Taigaiko regulars knew how Ryamo had a hatred for Acrobatics players.

Tori shook her head and walked to an empty part of the court to start stretching. Kaidoh, seeing Tori stretching by herself, came over, sat down next to her, and stretched as well. Since the two were normally quiet, it wasn't weird or awkward that they were silent while they stretched. The sound of a ball being hit by rackets soon quieted and Ryamo yelled at the only two people _still _stretching.

"If you two think that you need to stretch forever, then run a few laps to stretch out!" Tori groaned and stood up. She dusted herself off before offering a hand to help Kaidoh up. He accepted it and Tori helped him up. When the two realized that they were holding each other's hands, they both blushed and let go immediately. Sora and Risa were trying their hardest to cover their laughter but Tori heard them.

"Risa, Sora! Since you can find the time to laugh at Tori's love life, maybe you should run some laps to get the giggles out of your system!" Ryamo yelled at the two giggling third years, desperately trying to breathe regularly.

"Rya's in a bad mood now," Risa said before taking off around the court.

"I wonder _why_?" Sora asked sarcastically, her other personality surfacing.

"I sometimes really hate it when your smart aleck personality comes out," Risa muttered grumpily.

"It's what I do best," Sora winked at her friend before reaching across Risa, grabbing the pole on the edge of the court, and using it to help her turn, successfully cutting Risa off and making her stop.

"Sora! You little brat~!" Risa exclaimed, her mood picking up as she started to run after Sora.

Onee-chan*—Big Sister

Aneki*—Big Sister

Otouto*—Little brother


End file.
